Georgian Maritime Education takes its roots in Poti Maritime Class founded in 1860.
Batumi Naval College was established in 1921 by the graduate of Poti Maritime Class, Master Mariner Alexander Chavchavadze.
Tradition of Maritime Education and Training (MET) implementation at BSMA goes back to remote 1929, when Port of Batumi-based Evening Maritime-Construction Courses were transformed into Batumi Evening Industrial College.
On March 5, 1944, by the decision of the State Committee of Defence of the USSR, the Batumi Naval Academy was established on the basis of the Naval Technical School.
During the half-century of its existence, the Batumi Naval Academy played a major role in the development of maritime affairs, not only in Georgia, but throughout the Soviet Union. The school has trained up to 5000 highly qualified specialists to work in the Navy. Its graduates still successfully work on ocean-going ships under the flags of Georgia and many countries around the world.
On the basis of this authoritative naval academy with great traditions, in the most difficult period of our country’s history, by the decision of the Government of the Republic of Georgia, Batumi Higher Naval Academy was established in 1992, which also received the status of Treasury Enterprise – Batumi State Maritime Academy (BSMA).
In 2004, a large-scale reform of the entire education system began in Georgia. On April 25, 2005, the status of the Academy was defined as a legal entity under public law, and by the Resolution of the Government of Georgia of October 9, 2009, the current status, type and name of the Maritime Academy was determined: Legal Entity of Public Law – Teaching University – Batumi State Maritime Academy.
Since 2006, when BSMA became the member of the International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU), the students and staff are promoted to participate in IAMU events.
